Early phonics screen test and Cued Speech

Query: Can a learner use Cued Speech?

Response:

” Access arrangement 2025 phonics screening check: administration guidance – GOV.UK

“Cued speech

If a pupil with a hearing impairment is familiar with cued speech, it can be used by an appropriately trained professional to make their responses clear. If a pupil with a hearing impairment would prefer to speak the words, you should use cued speech to help clarify what sounds they are aiming for.

Visual phonics

These techniques can be used to help pupils make their responses clear if this is normal classroom practice.

Sound buttons

If a pupil uses sound buttons to help them decode words as part of normal classroom practice, they may use them during the check. You must give the pupil a clean copy of the check so they can mark the sound buttons against the graphemes. You must not mark the graphemes for the pupil.

Readers

Readers are not allowed.

Pupils who should not take the check

Pupils should not take the check if they:

• have shown no understanding of grapheme-phoneme correspondences
• have not completed the first year of the KS1 English programme of study
• have recently moved to the country and are unable to understand letters and sounds in English
• use British Sign Language or other sign-supported communication, such as communication boards, to spell out individual letters
• are non-verbal, or selectively mute
• have been absent during the check window – if a pupil does not take the check during this period and returns to school after Friday 20 June, they must be recorded as absent”